In the age of satellites, drones, and google maps you might expect that counting all the beaches around the world would be relativity straightforward (if not a little time consuming). However, once you look into it you soon realise that it’s not as easy as you might expect. Several factors contribute to the difficulty in quantifying the total number of beaches across the globe. Although Beachfarer has a significant number of beaches in its database, we can guarantee that this doesn’t represent every single one. The actual number will be far higher. To understand why it is so difficult to count them all and to understand Beachfarer’s estimate of the total number, carry on reading.
What is a beach?
Firstly, the definition of a beach itself is not universally agreed upon. While most will naturally think of a beach as expansive stretches of golden sand, others may think of small hidden coves tucked away between rocky cliffs. And if you are from Brighton in the UK you might picture beaches as pebbly stretches of land. Are mud beaches a thing?
Lake shores, riverbanks, or even artificial reservoirs can also provide a home for beaches. These inland beaches further complicate the task of categorizing beaches. They also have their own challenges with counting as water levels in lakes and rivers will change month to month and year to year which could lead to beaches forming or to disappear.
The majority of beaches form along the coast. These coastal beaches face several unique factors making them difficult to count. Some beaches disappear at high tide and others join together at low tide. When beaches join should they be classed as a single beach or multiple beaches? Beaches can range from only a few meters in length to over 241 km (150 miles) so you can image how it could be difficult to understand when one beach ends and another begins.
Where does a beach start and another end?
Some beaches might be seen as a single beach from a topological perspective but that doesn’t mean that several names could be used for different parts of the beach. Should these be counted separately or count as only one? Some beaches are split but rivers making it impossible to walk from one side to another. This might make you think these should be classed as separate beaches. However at other times of the year that river could run dry, allowing you can walk from one side to the other. Global warming and the ever increasing sea level rises are another factor, changing beach geography.
Not all maps are equal
The sheer vastness of our planet’s coastlines can’t be understated. Earth is home to an estimated 600,000 kilometers (372,000 miles) of coastline. That’s the equivalent traveling around the globe fifteen times.
If you live in an affluent, highly populous area you might take for granted how complete the maps that you use are. Many coastal regions are inaccessible, making it difficult to conduct comprehensive surveys. And the cost of using of satellite imagery still remains high. Resulting in maps of limited detail.
Venturing off the beaten track can soon reveal that not every location is mapped to the same level of detail. Through developing this site it soon became apparent the gaps, even finding some islands that hadn’t been mapped. There is a far better business case for mapping populated areas. This means that many European countries, with their higher population densities have the majority of their beaches mapped. Countries with a low population density like Australia, Brazil or Canada will have a lot more gaps in its data.
Beaches never stay still
Another reason for the difficulty lies in the constant evolution of beaches. Natural processes such as erosion, deposition, and tides continually reshape coastlines, leading to the formation and disappearance of beaches over time. Storms, hurricanes, and tsunamis can dramatically alter the coastal landscape, sometimes creating new beaches or obliterating existing ones. Consequently, the transient nature of beaches makes it challenging to maintain an up-to-date and accurate inventory.
The lack of a centralized and standardized global database of beaches also contributes to the challenge. While some countries maintain detailed records of their beaches, there is no universal repository that consolidates this information. National and regional variations in data collection methods, definitions, and criteria further hinder efforts to compile a comprehensive global count.
Beachfarer’s Estimate
In conclusion, determining the precise number of beaches around the world is a complex task. In fact there isn’t any one fixed number as it is changing all of the time. The diverse nature of beaches, their continuous evolution, the vastness of coastlines, and the absence of a centralized database all contribute to the difficulty. While we can appreciate the countless stunning beaches that grace our planet, attempting to quantify them serves as a reminder of the vastness and complexity of our natural world. However to put a rough estimate on it. Currently Beachfarer has over 150,000 beaches in its database. This is estimated to be around half the total number of beaches based on the completeness of the mapping across the different countries. This means we believe that there are at least 300,000 beaches across the world.
